3 Players Cowboys Must Target to Remain in the Playoff Race

The Dallas Cowboys washed the stink off of a poor performance against the Cardinals in Week 3 with a display of dominance against the New England Patriots in Week 4.

The defense came back with a vengeance while the offense pulled all the right levers in a 38-3 beatdown of the Pats. The win was a good reminder of what this Dallas team is capable of doing, even without cornerback Trevon Diggs who was lost for the season with a torn ACL.

Even without Diggs, this Cowboys team is a dangerous presence in the NFC. When the defense played like it did Sunday and Dak Prescott takes care of the football, the Cowboys are capable of beating anyone any week.

There are still some roster moves out there that would maximize the 2023 campaign, though. Dallas has been in this position before but still haven't at least gotten to the conference championship game under Mike McCarthy.

That should be the expectation and targeting these three players as either free agents or trade targets could help get them there.

OT La'el Collins, Free Agent

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CLEVELAND, OHIO - OCTOBER 31: La'el Collins #71 of the Cincinnati Bengals in action during the first half against the Cleveland Browns at FirstEnergy Stadium on October 31, 2022 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images)

It might just be time for a La'el Collins homecoming. The right tackle made his name playing for the Cowboys. He registered 71 starts playing both guard and tackle from 2015-2021.

He was ultimately let go in the 2022 offseason where he signed with the Bengals and ended up starting 15 games for them last season.

Collins remains a free agent through the first four weeks of the season. The 30-year-old is still recovering from a torn ACL he suffered last season but he's close enough to a return that around 12 teams have reportedly contacted the tackle.

Collins was released by the Bengals, in part, because it cleared $7.7 million in cap space. They also signed Orlando Brown Jr. this offseason and moved Jonah Williams over to right tackle. They made all the moves necessary to replace him and he became expendable.

Collins is still capable of playing at a higher level than many tackles in the league. His prior experience at guard would make him an incredibly useful player for a Cowboys offensive line that has been beat up.

Tyron Smith missed Sunday's game with a knee injury. Tyler Biadasz, Chuma Edoga and Zack Martin also made appearances on the injury report.

Collins would provide a fresh body with guard-tackle versatility and he's already well-acquainted with the ins and outs of playing in Dallas.

CB Anthony Brown, Free Agent

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Anthony Brown

Speaking of former Cowboys who should be on the team's radar, Anthony Brown happens to be available.

Losing Trevon Diggs is a big blow. DaRon Bland's two-interception game against the Patriots did a lot to make the Cowboys faithful feel better about the loss on Sunday, but the fact remains that cornerback is a position where depth is crucial. Injuries can mount there quickly and a secondary is only as good as its weakest link.

Brown is a capable veteran who spent seven seasons in Dallas, including 2022 when he made 12 starts. It made sense that the organization parted ways with him in the offseason. They traded for Stephon Gilmore and the Cowboys crop of young corners needed the reps.

But it also makes a lot of sense to bring Brown back now. He's a veteran who has played in Dan Quinn's system and had 17 passes defended in 2021. He was on an active NFL roster (49ers) as recently as two weeks ago before getting released and becoming a free agent once again.

Brown showed no signs of being completely washed last season and surrendered a passer rating of 89.7 when targeted. He would make for solid depth and could come in clutch at some point this season.

LB Jordan Hicks, Minnesota Vikings

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PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - SEPTEMBER 14: Jordan Hicks #58 of the Minnesota Vikings looks on against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field on September 14, 2023 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)

The depth concerns at cornerback were born out of mounting injuries for the Cowboys. The linebacker depth has been a potential problem from the day the Week 1 53-man roster was announced.

The Cowboys are putting a lot of faith and trust in Leighton Vander Esch and Damone Clark being able to stay healthy. With DeMarvion Overshown on injured reserve, they turned to converting Markquese Bell from safety to linebacker as a way to combat their lack of depth at the position.

It has worked so far, but it's one of those things that could ultimately cost them as teams try to figure out ways to best attack their defense.

There aren't a lot of difference-making linebackers available in free agency at this point. The Cowboys best bet might be testing out the trade market. Someone like Jordan Hicks would be a logical target.

The 31-year-old is off to a good start this season with a PFF grade that ranks 22nd among the 74 linebackers they've graded this season. However, the Vikings are just 1-3 through their first four games and Hicks is on an expiring contract.

With Ivan Pace Jr. breaking out and Brian Asamoah on the roster, the Vikings have two younger options they might want to develop as they try to improve their defense.

The Cowboys would be wise to keep their eye on Hicks if the Vikings get any further from playoff contention.